A Ribbon of Hope
by Sands of Sorrow
Summary: A short story to test my skills.


_Note: I have typing/spelling issues, so I apologize ahead of time._

Fatch Waterstump had always been alone; from a very early age he was an orphan. He couldn't even remember his parents' faces, sometimes he thought he had just appeared out of thin air. That is, until his dreams bring him back to that night.

It always started out happy, with some forgotten memory of his parents, then turn dark and gory as they're killed in some new way each and every dream. This past dream they were torn apart by thorn bushes and as usual, Fatch woke up crying, in a cold sweat.

The young otter sat in a dark corner of his jail, head in his hands, the sounds of the screams still echoing in his head from the nightmare he just had. Now was the time, now he had to make another attempt to escape. He waited until all was completely quiet on deck before producing a key that had been carelessly dropped into his cell. Unlocking the door he opened it deathly slow as to make sure, no one heard the very faint creaking noise it made.

He pulled his body out of the hole in the ship that was his jail cell, and breathed in sharp, salty air. He made his way over to the side of the ship and began to make his way down the anchor chain.

Unfortunately, his timing couldn't have been worse, the crew was just getting up at that moment and was readying to raise the anchor. It crept slowly back towards the ship and Fatch began to panic, if he let go now he'd surely attract attention with a splash.

"Shit." He mumbled as the chain got closer and closer to the railing of the ship. Suddenly a rats head appeared over the railing to check the anchor, but instead seeing Fatch he called out in a shrill voice.

"ESCAPE! ESCAPE! THERE'S BEEN AN ESCAPE!"

Fatch dove into the frigid waters and swam with everything in him. He was a good 50 yards away before he heard a rowboat being lowered. Swimming faster he smiled, _Oh how I love a good chase_. He thought nearing the shore.

Running up the beach, he disappeared into the woods just as the boats began to reach shore. He heard the clanging of swords and axes as he dodged through the trees. Running over hills and through several streams Fatch was leading a wonderful chase, that is until he allowed himself to look back. It was only one second in which he snapped his head back to see if he had time for a drink at the nearest stream, when he ran right into another otter.

Her pretty blue eyes looked at him in surprise as they both tumbled to the ground. He fell hard against a tree with a grunt, and when he stopped seeing small dots in his eyes, he saw that the other otter was already up with an arrow pointed in his face. She glanced at the nearing horde of rats and back at a sore Fatch before firing one arrow go at the horde, taking out a ugly rat Fatch had grown to hate. Then in a second she was up into a tree with a small squirrel sucking hard on his paw. As soon as her feet were steady, the otter began to sling out arrows faster than anyone Fatch had ever seen. The ones that made it past her arrows quickly bombarded a dazed and bruised Fatch, tying him tightly and starting to drag him back towards the shore.

Unfortunately the few rats that dragged him harshly through the woods, escaped all of the other otter arrows, if by luck or on purpose. He was rowed back to the ship and thrown hastily into his dark cell, which had been doubled barred since he left it. Sitting down in a dark corner Fatch tried to catch some of the sleep he had lost, but not an hour later he heard pandemonium strike up on deck.

Voices called out from right and left, but one clear, rough one could be heard over the feeble squeaks.

"Get your paws off me vermin! I'll skin you alive if you come any closer with that rope." A few moments later he heard the sound of noses breaking and tail's crunching. He winced in the pool of moonlight where he stood. A thump, a yelp and a grunt were heard as the prisoner was thrown to the deck, cut and tied. He traced a heavy claws against a scar down his side from when he had been captured.

"Throw 'er in there. Ration her food and make sure she's too weak to see the Cap'n tomorrow." A gruff voice spoke out. He recognized it as the first mates, Credence.

Hopefully, for the night would only mean for the night. In Fatch's case, his first capture, it had been 3 weeks of food and water every few days. When he finally did see the Captain, he had gotten away easy in punishment for slaughtering crew by saying that there was treasure on his island and if they spared him and returned him home they'd get their fair share. The Captain said that he would return him home as soon as he had gotten enough slaves to start working the oars. So far Fatch was the only one, but now he had two.

Fatch was so lost in thought that he barely noticed that the new captive had gotten someone over board. He smiled to himself, she was fierce, like him.

Seconds later the massive barred door was unlocked and opened, then a creature fell to the jail's floor. The young female otter he had bumped into earlier; he stared at her for a moment as she lay in a heap sobbing. Carefully he made his way over to her form and gently touched her shoulder. Her head snapped up and looked directly into his pale green eyes. She had dark fur and gray, blue eyes that shined silver in the moonlight. He took a step back and looked affectionately at her.

Her eyes soften and she sighed in relief. She tried to stand up but collapsed out of pure exhaustion and Fatch knelt down beside her and moved her arm aside to reveal a deep wound in her side.

He lifted up the side of his grayed shirt showing a scar down his side. He smiled swimmingly and took another look at the cut before dressing it with some cloth. When the bleeding stopped he brought her a bowl of water and half a loaf of bead

"What do you call yerself Miss?" Fatch said leaning against the rotting walls.

"Posey." She smiled and took a sip of water. "And you?"

"Fatch." He grinned and disappeared into the shadows returning a moment later with a blanket. He wrapped it around her shoulders and lay down on some rotting hay. Fatch lowered himself near her and closed his eyes, half hoping for sleep. He heard her breathing become slower and less frequent as she began to dream. Fatch stayed up for hours laughing and smiling to his self about how he finally wasn't alone.

A mouse sat up and yawned, hearing footsteps behind her. Quickly she rolled into the bushes and moments later she saw rats, stoats and weasels walk by, many, many vermin, at least 50 walked by each step in unison. She crawled through the brushes and followed them.

Suddenly a rat fell dead with an arrow in his skull. Ducking lower she crept ahead to the front and looked around. Her keen eyesight picked out an otter perched in a tree putting out arrows faster then anything she had ever seen. One after another they came flying with perfect accuracy hitting a rat, sometimes two.

She moved closer and a small squirrel sitting behind the otter. He was sucking furiously on his paw, tears running down his auburn cheeks. The squirrel babe started shaking his free paw at the rats, letting them know they were shameful.

Something moved to the right of the curious mouse and she whipped out the axe and slashed through the bushes. A scream of pain and satisfied her and she leapt out from the bushes, under the tree. Swinging her lethal weapon she took out rats left and right. Catching her breath she looked around for a branch and instead saw the little squirrel smiling down at her.

More rats kept coming, pouring through the forest. She must have underestimated, there were at least 70 dead and more coming. The pair kept fighting, the deadly axe swinging and the arrows flying. While they kept killing the little squirrel danced around the tree with his soggy paw in his mouth.

Soon Anna became overwhelmed; grabbing a low branch she swung her body up around and onto the branch. She steadied herself and spoke softly and she kept a watchful eye on the rats coming.

"Saw you stugglin' and thought you could use the help." She swung the axe and took off an unusually ugly rats head.

Slinging an arrow she spoke breathlessly, "I'm Posey RiverFlower, and that there," she pointed at the jigging squirrel. "Is Bandit. What bout you?"

"Anna," she swung the axe hard and left deep cuts it several rats. "McCormen."

"Well, its nice of you to-" Posey began but was cut off as weasel crept up in her blind spot. She spun around when she heard him breathing hard. She quickly shot an arrow into his head, but it was too late. Bandit saw the commotion and ran to Posey grabbing onto her green dress, but the rat grabbed hold up her leg and pulled her to the ground as he fell dead.

Immediately she was attacked, rats piled onto her with amazing speed and bound her. They stuck a disgusting rag in her mouth and chained her feet. She lashed out but was met with blows from a large club. She glanced up at Bandit's panic stricken face as he clutched a ribbon that had come off her dress, he called out to her as she was carried away.

"Posey! Cumma back!" He jumped down but was caught by Anna who was then thrown back violently into the tree by a weasel. She blacked out and Bandit ran off after the rats becoming terribly lost.

Posey struggled against the rats that held her as she was rowed back to a huge ship. It had a large unusual shaped mast that had blue sails billowing out. Sides were painted a deeper blue then sails, making the ship blend with the water.

Six rats hauled her aboard and shoved her on the deck. She stopped just short of the nose of a large orange fox. He wore a dark cloak that flowed all the way to the floor. He smiled cruelly and produced a rope making to tie her up.

"Get your paws off me vermin! I'll skin you alive if you come any closer with that rope." She gathered all her strength and broke free of the rats, lashing out at anything that came near. She heard the sound of bone breaking as she stepped on tails and shoved noses back into the skull. The fox escaped injury and came up from behind tackling her to the ground he stuck a dagger in her side. She yelped and fought back as he whispered in her ear.

"Too bad, the Cap'n woulda liked you missie. He was looking fer a wife. He mighta let you live, since the penalty fer killin' his men is death its such a shame." The fox's breath was hot against her neck as he tied her paws together.

He stood up and kicked her toward the prison below the deck. "Throw 'er in there. Ration her food and make sure she's too weak to see the Cap'n tomorrow."

Several large rats and the first mate weasel approached the lump of an otter. Two rats held her up and with the weasel and remaining rat beat her senseless with the flat sides of their curved blade. Posey gasped for breath as the weasel, GrungeEar wrapped one paw around her neck and spoke.

"Think your stronger then us?" His rancid breath made her eyes water. "No beasts stronger then I, 'cept maybe Cap'n o' course." He looked over at the light streaming from the cabin occupied by the Captain.

Posey drew in a deep breath and drove both of her bruised legs into the weasel's stomach. He was thrown backwards into the rails and fell over board, screaming as the seawater filled his mouth. A rope was thrown to GrungeEar and he when he climbed back aboard he fumingly stormed over the smirking otter, water dripping from his ears and nose. He blew the salty water into her eyes and turned around to face crew. "Get her down into the pit and make sure it hurts!" He wiped water from his face and stomped off to his cabin.

The rats shoved her in ward kicking and poking her with their swords. They grabbed her feet and threw her into the cellar of a jail. She crumbled to the floor and began to sob. Someone put a paw on her shoulder and she quickly looked up to see the tall handsome otter who she had smashed into earlier. He had auburn fur was dirtier and piercing green eyes weren't as determined. His face was kind and showed affection as he smiled at her.

She relaxed and tried to stand up but collapsed on the floor. The other otter came over and looked at the dagger wound in her side. He lifted up the side of his shirt revealing at long crooked wound down his reddish furred torso. Grinning wolfishly he grabbed a piece of sailcloth and wiped away the blood from her side. Cleaning it with a bit of water he dressed it with another piece of canvas.

He sat down beside her and handed her a bowl of water and she took a sip. "What do you call yerself Miss?" he spoke in a deep soothing voice.

"Posey." She smiled and took another sip. "And you?"

"Fatch." He said and disappeared into the darkness only to return a moment blanket. He wrapped it around her shoulders and lay down beside her. She settled down after one last gulp of water. Closing her eyes she heard the sounds of sea rats and pirates drinking and singing, fighting and laughing. She struggled back tears as she thought about home and drifted off to sleep.


End file.
